


The more they change

by szczepter



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Future Fic, Gen, Gen Work, School Reunion, Ten Years Later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-23 22:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20348152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/szczepter/pseuds/szczepter
Summary: It’s ten years after graduation and Riko still thinks of them as her boys.





	The more they change

“Hurry up you two!” 

Hyuga grumbled something over the thick layer of his gaudy scarf while Kiyoshi send Riko an apologetic smile. 

She sighed and propped her fists on her hips. 

“Really now. You’re supposed to be the cold resistant athletes not me.”

“Former athletes.” Hyuga snapped while Kiyoshi only laughed. Riko rolled her eyes. 

“Come on grandpas. The kids will eat everything if we don’t hurry.” 

Thankfully the restaurant was nearby and it only took them five more minutes of fighting the blizzard until they arrived at the entrance. 

The inside was heaven. Warm, dry, comfy and smelt good. Riko gave the waiter their reservation name he led them to the private room at the back. 

When the shoji door opened, they were greeted suddenly by a loud wave of yells and laughter. 

After exchanging greetings and occasional hugs, taking off their shoes and winter jackets and taking places at the long, low table, drinks were immediately placed in front of them while someone (probably Koganei) called on for more food. 

It was a pleasant surprise that they remembered her favorite drink even after almost five years of only brief skype chats and texts here and there. 

It was difficult since graduation to keep in touch with everyone. Worked filled her whole days now and if she didn’t work with her two best friends, she would probably scarcely talk to them too. 

But they managed. 

There were group chats which were active once in a blue moon when someone remembered, holiday postcards and birthday wishes. Sometimes a small meeting of a few members here or there. 

But Riko actually saw the whole team for the first time in a couple of years. It made her feel strangely light inside and she had to swallow the weird lump in her throat and blink a few dozen times. 

She called some of them herself; mostly the other upperclassmen but she also had a few longer calls with Kuroko, Kagami and even Furihata. 

It wasn’t a secret that in a larger group people always tended to split into smaller ones, finding likeminded people with similar interests. 

Yet still, they always managed to come together as a team. Even though they weren’t an actual team in years. 

Riko made herself comfortable between Teppei and Junpei, who were arguing with each other over her head, sipped her alcohol slowly and let herself relax and observe her ex-teammates. 

First was Izuki who sat on the left side of the table along with Koganei and Mitobe who were engaged in a weird sort of one-sided conversation made up of Koga’s comments and Mitobe’s mute nods and hand gestures. 

Shun was trying (and failing) to entertain them both with his jokes, but they both manage to deflect them effectively. 

But Izuki didn’t seem to mind that he was being ignored, mostly because he was terribly smashed, probably the most out of everyone here and he was able to entertain himself. 

Riko briefly felt bad for him and wanted to chime in and talk to him. He was so busy as a math teacher at Seirin. He was probably the person she wanted to talk the most out of the whole bunch. 

But then Shun opened his mouth and addressed everyone. 

Everyone fell silent for a moment. 

“You know.” He stopped to hiccup and swallow. “I must admit that like a bear drinking honey from a bee hive-“ He paused for dramatic effect. “I’m getting really buzzed.” 

Everyone groaned. Junpei used his ‘scary captain voice’ forgetting it didn’t work on anyone, especially not on Shun. He only lifted his cup in a toast to nothing in particular and then took a long sip, looking incredibly proud of himself. 

Riko rolled her eyes and looked past Izuki to the next occupant of the table. So much for feeling bad for him. 

Furihata, who was sitting next to Mitobe, was engaged in his own conversation along with the rest of the former freshmen trio across the table.   
Riko took a sip and licked her lips. 

She slid her gaze over them, noting how much they grew up since the last time she saw them. 

It was probably at their own high school graduation when it came to Kuwahara and Fukuda while they’re little, former point guard was a regular at their gym. 

Tsuchida sat next to Fukuda and engaged in a quiet conversation with Teppei to her right. 

Her gaze fell onto his hand and she smiled when she noticed the gold bad on his ring finger. 

They were all the same age, but Tsucchi seemed to be the most grown up of them all.

He realized she was looking at him and send her a smile. 

“How is married life?” She asked and chuckled into her drink when he actually blushed. 

“It’s good.”

Riko chatted with him for a few more minutes, asking how was Ami and work. The regular, boring, adult talk but Riko found comfort in it. 

Kawahara interrupted them to ask his senpai about something and Tsuchida turned to him, ending their brief exchange. They share a look promising to talk more online and she hopes they’re not just empty promises. 

Something caught her eye and she looked up. She smiled wide when her gaze fell on the last two of her former juniors, sitting right across the table, together of course. 

Kagami was inhaling food at the speed of light and talking animatedly with Furi and Fukuda this time, while Kuroko, sitting quietly at his side, was nabbing bits and pieces of various dishes, directly from Kagami’s plates. 

Even though there was more than enough for everyone. 

Riko knew that Kagami didn’t mind and even if he’d said he did, no one would believe him. 

Kuroko looked down, under the table suddenly and lowered his chopsticks with a piece of grilled fish. Riko raised an eyebrow at that and then gasped when she saw a very familiar doggy snout sniffing at the food and then accepting the treat. 

She laughed to herself, while no one paid her any mind, too busy lost in their own river of conversations and jokes and the commotion downing out the sound of her laughter. 

But not to Kuroko. He looked up at her and gace her one of his small, enigmatic smiles and lifted a finger to his lips to shush her. She snorted but gave him the okay sign. Kuroko returned to feeding Nigou under the table as if nothing happened. 

“Senpai! How is the gym business?” Fukuda chimed in. 

Riko didn’t know who they were asking at that moment, but since it’s legally her gym she felt complied to answer. 

“It’s doing great. You should swing by sometime.” She gave him a scolding look, and the young man she remembers as a gangly boy actually set the next piece of greasy beef aside in shame. 

“Yes, ma’am.” 

Everyone laughed at that, even Junpei. 

“Yeah, business is great.” He mused before taking a chug of his beer. “But her dad still hates me.” 

Riko raised an eyebrow. 

“Don’t feel special. He hates everyone.” 

Another round of laughter filled the room along with Hyuga’s grumpy grumbling. 

“Ah.” Koga sighed suddenly, red face in hands. He hiccupped. “And I still don’t have a girlfriend.” 

Mitobe put a comforting hand on his shoulder causing Koga to sigh again. 

“I know Mitobe.” 

“How the hell are they still doing that?” Junpei whispered to Kiyoshi over Riko’s head. She didn’t hear his answer, because suddenly, Tsucchi stood up with his glass of beer, raised it in a toast. 

Everyone stopped what they’re doing and looked up in expectations. 

“We are pregnant.” 

Silence stretched before everyone erupted in laughter and cheers yet again. 

“Congrats Senpai!”

“I’m so happy!” 

“Is it a boy or a girl!?”

“Idiot it’s too early for that!” 

After a round of congratulations, they all settled down again when Koganei ordered another round of drinks to celebrate. 

“This is the start of the new Seirin!” He announced. 

No one paid him any mind and they all went back to eating, drinking and having a good time, until another disturbance. 

“You brought the dog!??” Kagami sputtered and everyone turned their attention to him. 

“Yes.” Kuroko said and picked up his beloved pet from under the table so everyone could see. “He’s a part of the team as well.” 

Everyone cooed and gave their former mascot a pat or a scratch while Nigou barked happily at the attention. 

“How did you even smuggle him in!?” 

Kuroko didn’t answer but this time directed the enigmatic smile at Kagami. 

“I have my ways.” He scratched Nigou behind the ear. “Besides, he’s my best friend.”

Kagami sputtered again. 

“I thought, I was your best friend!?” 

“Uh-oh. Someone’s jealous.” Riko commented, for everyone to hear this time, and ducked her head to take a hefty sip. 

“Ah young couples.” Koganei shook his head, arms crossed over his chest to make him look like a wise, old man. 

“What!?” Kagami sputtered again and they all laughed at him. Riko hid her smile against her glass. The feeling of déjà vu was strong. It’s like as if they were transported to their Seirin locker room suddenly. Or one of their post-match celebrations. 

“Oh, do you know?” Izuki started suddenly and Riko thought oh boy. 

“Why don’t they allow dogs in bars?”

“Because it’s unsanitary?” Furihata offered helpfully, but Izuki waved him of with a grimace. “It’s because most of them can’t hold their licker!”

“Oh my god.” Hyuga sounded like he was dying but Kiyoshi gave a sudden, full belly laugh at the absurd joke. 

Shun must have been really tipsy. Judging by his red face and glassy eyes. 

“Senpai I think you had enough.” Furihata tried to grab Izuki’s pitcher away from him, but he guarded it bravely. 

“Listen here young padawan. Liquor might not solve all your problems, but it’s worth a shot.” 

“Please someone kill me.” Hyuga hid his face in his hands. 

“Izuki. Here, drink something else.” Koganei said and Mitobe pushed a glass of tea in front of him. 

Izuki shook his head.   
“If I wanted a marteenie,” He paused for effect and another groan bounced off the walls. “I would have gone to a minibar!”   
“What?” Koga asked confused. 

“I changed my mind. Kill him.” 

“Some people say I drink like a fish, but I just tuna them out.” Izuki said while side-eying Junpei in an attempt of judgement, but the result was that he came off cross eyes. 

“Besides I have tomorrow off and you can’t stop me.” 

Riko listened to his and Junpei’s squabble with one ear and to conversations going around her with another. 

It’s nice. This get together. She wished they’d do this more often. 

“What do you think?” 

She didn’t flinch when Teppei leaned over her to whisper. She takes her time to think about his question, drinking the rest of her beer. 

She took it all in. The laughter, the arguments, the bad jokes. Their new jobs, their new hobbies, their old love for basketball which was still evident in one way or the other. Like in the basketball shoes Kagami wore, the bags, the keychain, a badge of their favorite team brought over. Or how was showing clips of the newest NBA season to Fukuda and Kawahara and they all watched intently. 

Everyone changed. But they also stayed the same. They’re core stayed the same. 

Teppei nudged her gently and she comes back to reality. 

“I don’t miss high school much, but…I wish I could tell them to run ten laps for being brats.” 

Teppei laughed and she smiled to herself. 

“I’m pretty sure that they’d do it anyway.” 

“Maybe.” She said, knowing deep down that it was true. 

“Oi!” Koga stood up to get everyone’s attention. “Mitobe suggested a group photo.” 

The room was suddenly filled with shouts of ‘yeahs’ and ‘let’s do its!’ 

They moved the table around to make more space. Riko decided to take charge and arranges everyone, putting the tallest members (she will never stop thinking about them as such) at the back and the shortest to the front. 

Mitobe prepared the camera with the self-timer and quickly rushed to his spot at the back of the group. 

“Should we say cheese?” Koga asked Kagami. 

He didn’t manage to answer because Izuki hollered drunkenly in that moment. 

“Hoppy Octo-beer!” 

Like one organism they all turnd to the culprit and said what was on their mind for the whole evening. 

“Shut up, Izuki!” 

At this moment the timer went off and snapped a photo. 

They all dissolved into laughter and then the timer snapped again just in case. 

The photos were terrible. Blurry and unfocused and they all had red eyes and silly expressions. 

But it was the best souvenir ever.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Ten KnB Anniversary! I finally got around to posting my knb zine fic. It's been way too long since I've written anything lmao


End file.
